1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally, to a toy and more particularly, to an improved aerial apparatus capable of providing superior lift for sustained periods of time and thus allowing flight times of greater duration than prior devices of generally similar construction.
2. Description of the Related Art
Numerous efforts have been expended toward providing aerial toys of various types. In some instances the objective is to achieve realism by simulating actual aircraft and thus the term airplane model. To achieve flight, such models are usually powered by a fuel-driven engine. The construction of these powered models, either by a manufacturer or enthusiast, is quite involved and expensive and the actual flight procedures require at least a certain degree of expertise.
Non-powered flight, on the other hand, presents an opportunity for anyone to become involved in aerial activity, without having any prior experience or expending great sums of money. This may be achieved by means of aerial devices of the glider type. Unlike powered models, toy gliders bear little resemblance to actual aircraft. This is due to two primary reasons. First, the glider must be capable of being produced quickly and simply, by one with little technical expertise and secondly, since weight and drag are of paramount concern, the construction is directed to maximizing lift producing surfaces while eliminating or minimizing all other body components as usually found in powered aircraft, either actual or toy embodiments.
Many examples of prior efforts to provide aerial toys of the glider type are well known. Hardly any youngster has grown up without making and using paper and/or balsa wood gliders. Most such devices comprise a wing, attached to a fuselage terminating in a tail section having one or more control surfaces. In many instances flight characteristics may be altered by unlimited combinations of adjustments of various wing and tail section control surfaces and/or adjustment of the center of gravity by either adding or moving a displaceable weight member or, by longitudinally shifting the position of the wing component. Examples of such gliders as constructed from a folded material will be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,420,805 issued to Baher and 1,522,267 issued to Pierce. The use of a plurality of interfitting components to provide an aerial glider is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,642,062.
In the interest of greatly simplifying the construction of toy gliders, a substantially unitary construction has been attempted, wherein the sole or principal component comprises a wing member, often defining a delta or V-shaped configuration. Examples of such aerial devices will be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,388,777 and D-270,259 both issued to Hermann et al.
Aerial toys of the glider type are launched in either of two ways, purely manually, or with the assistance of force multiplying means, such as a sling or elastic member. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,313,948 and 4,836,817 issued to Lambert and Corbin, respectively, disclose examples of such devices.
None of the prior known aerial toys are seen as providing the unique combination as offered by the instant device wherein vastly improved sustained flight is achieved in a glider comprising a unitary, planar, body member.